Go To Guy
by Firestorm-244
Summary: Come, sit, and I'll tell you about the day that marked the rest of her life. Who am I? I am but a simple priest who has seen the impacts brought on by the Mother of all Things... (Preseries Xellos oneshot)


                                                                                                          **   Go To Guy**

    Am I such a bad fellow? I don't really think so. Although, I'm sure there are a few people around who would think otherwise. Oh, and do bear in mind that I often use the term "people" rather loosely.

    Who am I you ask? I am but a simple, mysterious priest. Oh my, what's that doubt filled look for? Relax. I've no quarrel with you. Really, you needn't worry. Those young travelers on the other hand . . .

    What young travelers? Why those young travelers squaring off against the local bandit gang of course. Look, one of them has been gutted already. He's loosing blood fast. Ah, and I see the other's clinging to his beloved riches. The greedy ones are always the most predictable.

    They're kicking him now. He's looking really quite bad. There's fresh blood everywhere: saturating the ground, perfuming the air.

    The bandits are laughing. The greedy fellow isn't moving. His fear and pain peeking just a few moments before, yes he's gone now. Thank you for the snack-although one can hardly call it that.

    I suppose I'll get going. I've allowed myself to be distracted for too long now. I have things to do, contracts to make-or break, and the vassal of Lord Ruby Eyes to tend to.

    I've been told that the Red Robed Wiseman's begun conducting a new set of unorthodox research in the hopes that he may finally cure his eyes. He's coming along nicely. Slowly, but nicely. With any luck the Monster Race will see the resurrection of our Lord before the next century. Hellmaster's certainly pleased at the prospect. My master and I . . . well, should it come to pass so be it. That's all I'll say on the matter.

    With little to no effort I transport myself away from the tree I'd been perched in, then stop and assemble somewhere in the middle of the sky. My nostrils flare, my ears twitch. There's . . . there's something in the air. I'm not sure what and that bothers me. There are few things in this world that I can't recognize.

    I turn my head and look with slit eyes off into the distance. Just barely, I can see it, the sky fading from baby blue to an incredible, hazy black. Oh? That's curious. I watch it for a moment, debating whether I should investigate. I decide to dismiss it and go about my business when I feel my master from far up in the North. It's hard to describe this feeling with simple words so I won't bother. It's an unnecessary detail, but I know instantaneously that my Master wants me there and she wants me there now.

    So I race over there, flying over lakes, trees, villages. The dark sky expanding, becoming blacker-if that is even possible.

    The wind is picking up, it howls as I pass through it. Tingles are creeping down my back and I'm finding myself forced to give way to the shivers. I press on further.

    I see streaks of black lightning forking out into the sky, slashing open holes bleeding into the astral plane. They aren't closing. The astral plane is not safe right now, so I stay on the physical plane. I'm fighting desperately through the torrents of wind, channeling some of my power into the tip of my staff, which I am using as a windbreaker.

    My staff trembles in my hands and I can hold onto it no longer. It breaks away from me and disappears in the distance. Somehow I manage to penetrate a barrier of sorts. There is no wind in here. No noise at all, and the sea, dug out from this place, pushed back and lapping outside the barrier, holds no life in it. Such things were obliterated from its very existence.

    The power is so terribly great I almost feel compressed by it. What is this? I float down lower, closer. My usually slit eyes wide open, my hair floating this way and that. But, how can this be? I simply can't fathom: that which could shatter even the souls of gods- this power spiking out wildly, sparking, flashing and leaving flecks of gold spiraling around something. No. Someone.

    And then, the deepest pitch of black, the shining gold, both collapse: a wave of energy pushes out, pushes me back, then is sucked back towards the person from which all power in this place seems to emulate. I see the sky and it is blue with several dark, grey clouds dissipating. I realize that this place was once the coast of a beach and now all that's left of it is a blackened inlet of nothing with a crescent sea wall beginning to flood into it.

    Whatever creature conjured the power had collapsed into a small heap of tattered mantle, pants and tunic. I fly down into the inlet and am surprised to see huddled up in an unconscious ball before me, a tiny girl; her long, wavy hair bleached white, her skin similar in color.

    Such a remarkable human girl . . . I pick her up, the tsunami just behind us, and then we're above the wild water crashing down into the nothingness. I cradle the girl in my arms and watch the sea splash and churn, searching for a resting place.

    At last I look down at her face. I blink. I recognize the structure, those cheekbones, that small jaw line, that faint smell hidden under the residual scent of oblivion. "Inverse." The Ceipheed Knight's younger sister, no doubt. I see now why my Master wanted me here.

    She's breathing but just barely. She was lucky she hadn't killed herself.

    I'm taking her to the outskirts of Zelfilia, deciding it's best to hand her over to the Ceipheed Knight. Fear is everywhere. Fear, and screams and running, but I see her coming. She looks as though she's expecting us.

    "Ah, Miss Luna." I say with a gentle smile.

    She regards me for a moment then focuses her attention on the girl in my arms. I regard her as well. She's wearing a frilly, little waitress outfit and I inwardly snicker at the one imbued with Ceipheed's holy power reduced to earning her keep in her parents home through menial labor.

    "What happened?" she asks calmly. I can't tell if there is venom or concern mixed in her icy voice. Yes, I cannot tell. Not with her.

    "Something incredible-and terrible it would seem."

    We study each other for a long while.

    At last, she breaks eye contact and stares again at the girl in my arms. "Idiot," she announces. I take that as my cue.

    "On behalf of Lord Beastmaster . . ." I begin. I cover the short distance between us, and offer for her to take the girl.

    There's the slightest indication of a nod and the two sisters are reunited.

    I bow before her with a pleasant grin on my face and make a few hand gestures. "Until we meet again Miss Luna . . ."

    The Ceipheed knight leaves, heading back into town. She pauses for a moment, looks off into the distance, then sort of snorts and continues on her way. Ah, so you've sensed him as well? Perceptive as ever I see.

    I watch her disappear into the shuffle of people and linger to feast on the sea of chaotic panic that has overwhelmed even, the most logical and optimistic of people. Again I am amazed and am compelled to complement the Inverse child. True she obviously hadn't properly cast what must have been _that_ spell but even so . . . for the energy summoned to be this destructive and for the girl to have simply been able to summon power from _that_ being-when so many humans can barely handle invoking the Dark Lord Ruby Eye's power. Truly, she is exceptional.

    When I felt sated I left. At a less hurried, more casual speed, but still very fast. If I hadn't sensed his presence, I would be returning to my Master now. Instead I head to where I feel his presence, just out of the Ceipheed knight's reach. He's watching, waiting for me. I materialize before him in a low bow.

    He smiles and I stand up. It would seem that the current human form he's chosen is that of a young adolescent girl. Hellmaster's a funny guy. He offers me my staff. Ah there you are. I take it greedily.

    "You saw it didn't you Xellos?" He's excited. It's clear to see.

    I nod, "Yes. That I did."

    "That chaotic energy . . ." He bit his thumbnail in contemplation, undoubtedly thousands of wicked schemes knitting together in his mind.

    "The girl could neither control, nor maintain it though," I offer.

    He looks shocked. "A mere girl invoked the power of Nightmares?"

    "Yes. Surprising isn't it?"

    "Tell me Xellos, what was it you saw in the Ceipheed knight's land?"

    "Hm . . ." I went over the event with him and informed him of the devastation it left.

    "To be able to call upon the mother of all things . . . it is not an easy task. Even if it was a feeble attempt on her part, she could prove useful to the Monster Race." He rambles on from there. I lose interest.

    We head our separate ways, with Hellmaster falling back into his lands and myself venturing far into the North. It takes me little time to make my way over to my Master, but when I finally come to stand before her, I find her casually filing her nails. She is aware of my presence and that I am waiting to speak with her but she chooses to ignore me, her manicure more important.

    I clear my throat after several moments of watching her. I am about to speak, but she beats me to it.

    "Red, blue, or yellow?"

    Huh?

    She shows me her nails and twiddles her fingers impatiently. Oh.

    "No purple?"

    "I ran out."

    Uh, that means she wants me to go and get some. I make a note to buy purple nail polish when I'm next out.

    "Blue?" I offer. She hasn't worn blue in a while.

    She mulls it over and decides on yellow. I fetch it and find myself delicately brushing the canary colored polish over her fair nails. I'm nearly finished with the fingers on her left hand before I speak again. "It was Miss Luna's sister who called upon the Lord of Nightmares."

    "I already know what happened."

    "Ah, but of course you do."

    I switch over and paint the nails of her right hand. "What shall we do about the girl?"

    "She's off limits, so long as she is under Luna's care." She replies.

    I nod in understanding. "Though I imagine I'll be required to monitor her every once in a while."

    "It may be more often then you think depending on her progress."

    I finish her nails, and blow on them lightly.

    She examines my handiwork. She approves.

Authors Notes: So this is my first Slayers piece. I think it's turned out alright. This entire story was inspired from a line in the first Slayers novel where Lina informs us that the first time she ever cast the Giga Slave, she essentially destroyed a beach. The wheels in my head started turning and somehow Xellos and those who he serves were apart of the story. To write Xellos' character, I re-watched Next and Try as I was working on this and made several modifications to my rough draft. Then I sort of stopped writing it to read some Fanfics and came across Isil Elen's two Xellos shorts and was amazed at how drastically our perceptions of Xellos's character differed. I felt inspired and well-this is the end result.

A friend commented to me that having Lina improperly cast the Giga Slave was a rather unique concept. So then I was wondering what the other fans' consensus is on the matter. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed the read, and by all means send me any questions comments or critiques you may have on this or any of my other stories.>


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